17th Annual AGEM/AGA Golf Classic Presented by JCM Global
The gaming industry is invited to go to new heights in support of responsible gaming in the 17th annual AGEM/AGA Golf Classic Presented by JCM Global. This year’s event takes place on Tuesday, April 28 at Cascata in Boulder City, Nev. The tournament is one of the gaming industry’s most anticipated events of the year, and is expected to draw players from across the U.S. and from across the span of the industry. Registration and sponsorship opportunities are available now. Registration is limited to the first 144 participants. Green fee is $700 per person, $1,400 for a twosome or $2,500 for a foursome. More information on registration and sponsorship is available by calling (702) 651-0000 or by visiting www.golf.jcmglobal.com. The Golf Classic is a fundraiser in support of problem gambling research conducted by the National Center for Responsible Gaming. Over its history, the event has raised more than $1.4 million. Returning as title sponsors are the Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers and the American Gaming Association. To date, sponsors of the 17th annual AGEM/AGA Golf Classic Presented by JCM Global include AGEM, AGA, JCM Global, Aristocrat, Caesars Entertainment, Casino Enterprise Management magazine, CPI, Konami and Scientific Games. For more information, visit www.jcmglobal.com.

Ken Morriss Joins Score Gaming’s International Sales Team
Ken Morriss, an industry veteran for 40-plus years, joined Score Gaming and heads the firm’s international sales team, company president and CEO Merrill Sparago, M.D., announced. Score Gaming, a gaming company that specializes in table games and slot development for the casino industry, has installations in multiple jurisdictions, including Las Vegas, Nev., Europe, the Caribbean, Asia and Africa. In 2014, Score had both of its entries, 3 Card 21 “N” Done and Double Up Blackjack earn top performer in the Grosvenor Casino’s Gaming Competition, opening distribution in the United Kingdom. Score’s Ménage a Trois is set to open in Trinidad and Tobago. For more information, visit www.scoregamingnv.com.

Hard Rock International Appoints Jon Lucas As EVP of Hotel & Casino Operations
Hard Rock International announced the appointment of 30-year hospitality veteran, Jon Lucas, as EVP of Hotel and Casino Operations. Lucas joined Hard Rock in 2013 as the president of the Hard Rock Rocksino in Northfield Park, where he managed everything from site design and construction to the hiring and onboarding of key executives. Prior to joining Hard Rock, Lucas was the president and general manager of the IP Casino in Biloxi, Miss. for six years. Lucas spent four years as regional president at Caesars Entertainment. For more information, visit www.hardrockhotels.com.

TCSJOHNHUXLEY Strengthens EMEA Sales Team; Grosvenor Casinos Choose TCSJOHNHUXLEY for 3-Year Maintenance Contract
With the recent creation of the EMEA division, TCSJOHNHUXLEY announced it has strengthened its sales team with a number of key appointments. To meet demand and to drive the business forward, the company saw three industry professionals return to the team. TCSJOHNHUXLEY announced the appointment of Steph Nel to the role of senior business development manager, Gavin Wright to the role of business development manager and John Galajsza as brand ambassador.

TCSJOHNHUXLEY also announced it has been awarded a three-year contract by Grosvenor Casinos to service and maintain electronic and traditional gaming products in multiple venues throughout the U.K. A number of service providers entered the RFP process, which included evaluations on quality of service delivery, value, capability, sustainability, broad product knowledge and experience. TCSJOHNHUXLEY met all the required criteria, in addition to having a strong track record and comprehensive experience in this sector. The contract enabled both companies to focus on future developments and mutually beneficial improvements. For more information, visit www.tcsjohnhuxley.com.

GTECH Partners with Genera Networks on “Neighbor” Geolottery Game; Merger of GTECH S.p.A. with and into International Game Technology
GTECH and Genera Networks signed an agreement to offer Genera’s Nabor™ (“Neighbor”) geolottery game to GTECH customers. Nabor offers lotteries an opportunity to launch a modern draw game that increases revenue and attracts new players. Nabor gives players a unique social experience of winning with their community and their neighbors. Players participate in a simple lottery raffle where their home address acts as the lottery ticket. Once a jackpot winner is drawn in the random raffle, secondary prize pools are awarded among players who live the closest to the original winner. The agreement with Genera Networks enabled GTECH to provide the Nabor game to GTECH World Lottery Association customers.

GTECH S.p.A. also announced that the High Court of England and Wales approved completion of the cross-border merger of GTECH with and into International Game Technology PLC. The merger will become effective at 12.01 a.m. on April 7, 2015, subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the remaining conditions precedent set out in the merger agreement. For more information, visit www.gtech.com.

Suzo-Happ Exclusive LCD Distributor for Wells-Gardner U.S. Amusement Market; Expands Cash Handling Technology Through Acquisition of SCAN COIN
Wells-Gardner Technologies Inc. announced it has named Suzo-Happ as its exclusive distributor of LCDs for the amusement market in the U.S. Effective March 9, customers can order Wells-Gardner LCDs directly through Suzo-Happ.

Suzo-Happ also announced it completed the acquisition of SCAN COIN. The company’s full line of Retail Cash Solutions are fully automated with integrated software that provides till management and cash office processing, enabling retailers to achieve significant labor efficiencies and reduce shrinkage. This flexible and innovative solution portfolio has enabled SCAN COIN to achieve the European market leading position in retail back office. For more information,
visit www.suzohapp.com.

The Gaming Standards Association also welcomed its newest platinum member, Austrian Gaming Industries part of the NOVOMATIC Group of Companies. Austrian Gaming Industries GmbH, a 100 percent subsidiary of NOVOMATIC AG, is an integrated global gaming company specializing in the design, development, manufacturing, distribution and sales of electronic gaming machines and advanced technology products. For more information, visit www.gamingstandards.com.

Scientific Games’ Katie Lever Chaired Go Red For Women Luncheon; Company Joins Governor Nathan Deal at Georgia Manufacturing Day
Scientific Games General Counsel and Executive Vice President Katie Lever chaired the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women Luncheon Feb. 27 at the Bellagio Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. More than 400 people attended this annual event, which brings together the Southern Nevada community to raise awareness, share heart disease survivor stories and ultimately combat the disease which is the number 1 killer of women. This year’s Las Vegas Go Red For Women Luncheon raised $399,177, a record in the Las Vegas Chapter of the American Heart Association’s 10-year history, and exceeds the organization’s 2015 goal by $75,000 or 23 percent.

Scientific Games Corporation also announced that the company joined Governor Nathan Deal at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta for Georgia Manufacturing Day on March 4. The event, attended by representatives from the state’s growing manufacturing industry, was highlighted by an official “Buy from Georgia” proclamation from Governor Deal. Georgia Manufacturing Day was presented by the Georgia Manufacturing Alliance, a statewide organization dedicated to support, promote and grow Georgia manufacturing. Scientific Games was among 70 companies in attendance. With five global manufacturing operations, the company’s largest lottery manufacturing center and lottery technology headquarters are based in Alpharetta, where more than 1,100 members of Georgia’s workforce are employed. Scientific Games currently designs and produces 98 percent of the Georgia Lottery’s instant games and provides the Georgia Lottery with marketing, promotional and distribution services. For more information, visit www.scientificgames.com.

GLI® Granted Conditional Independent Testing Laboratory Certification by Mass. Gaming Commission; Welcomes Brais Pena to GLI Spain Team
Gaming Laboratories International was granted conditional independent testing laboratory certification, pursuant to Massachusetts regulations 205 CMR 144.06. Full certification is expected to be issued contingent on the outcome of a full background investigation and review by the Investigations and Enforcement Bureau. The conditional independent testing laboratory certification granted to GLI by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission enabled GLI to begin to execute independent testing and certification services on behalf of the MGC.

GLI also welcomed iGaming expert Brais Pena to its EMEA Development Team. Pena is based in the company’s GLI Spain office in Barcelona, where he will lend his expertise to the company’s clients through its broad range of services. Pena brings a wealth of iGaming experience to GLI and its global client base. Prior to GLI, Pena was product and affiliate manager for Luckia Games, managing the company’s sportsbook, casino and poker products. He also served as CEO of PKComunicacion Gaming and affiliate manager for Akamon Entertainment. His experience also includes terms as marketing and affiliate manager for Poker Mambo and junior affiliate manager for 770 Span and RivaPoker. For more information, visit www.gaminglabs.com.

The Rainmaker Group Acquires Revcaster LLC
The Rainmaker Group acquired Revcaster LLC. The acquisition and addition of the Revcaster™ solution expanded and strengthened Rainmaker’s product suite, providing the comprehensive revenue management suite to traditional hotels, casino hotels and resort hotels. For more information, visit www.letitrain.com.

MGM Resorts International Announces Promotion, Retirement
MGM Resorts International announced the promotion of Nik Rytterstrom to general manager of Luxor Resort and Casino. Rytterstrom most recently served as general manager of the company’s Goldstrike Casino Resort in Tunica, Miss. Rytterstrom’s appointment followed the retirement announcement of Renee West. West was the first woman to be named president of a Las Vegas Strip property. She will retire effective April 24. Rytterstrom has more than a decade and a half of hospitality industry experience. He is a graduate of The University of Nevada, Las Vegas. West has been the president of Luxor and Excalibur resorts since 2010. For more information, visit www.mgmresorts.com.

Interblock Welcomes Colleen McKenna as Vice President of Marketing
Interblock appointed Colleen McKenna as vice president of marketing. McKenna was a director at Fortune 500 Symantec—the fifth largest software company in the world—where she spent 17 years as a global executive within their marketing department. She is recognized as an innovative marketer, leading trend-setting initiatives that leverage creativity and entertainment to reach new customer segments and extend the brand. An example is “Cybergeddon,” an original feature film with CSI creator Anthony Zuiker, which was distributed on Yahoo! in more than 20 countries and reached more than 30 million viewers in two months. For more information, visit www.interblockgaming.com.

Paragon Casino Resort Names James A. Shields as Executive Chef
James A. Shields was named executive chef at Paragon Casino Resort, returning to the resort after a three-year absence. Shields, a graduate and leader of the culinary team at the Culinary Institute of America, has more than twenty years’ experience in the culinary field. He has held the position of executive chef at several large properties in the New Orleans area. Shields came to Paragon from Jena Choctaw Pines Casino, where he was a chef for two years. Prior to that, Shields was executive chef at Ameristar Casino in Vicksburg, Miss., and he was executive chef at Paragon from 2009-2011. For more information, visit www.paragoncasinoresort.com.

TCSJOHNHUXLEY Appoints Pedro de Matos
TCSJOHNHUXLEY announced that after a short stint as a consultant, Pedro De Matos was appointed head of global operations. Going forward he will focus on U.K. and European operations, leveraging the global operational network to provide synergy to the group’s corporate strategy. Pedro came to TCSJOHNHUXLEY with extensive gaming industry knowledge having worked for Aristocrat Technologies since 2006, most recently in the position of general manager of EMEA. For more information, visit www.tcsjohnhuxley.com.

NIGC Creates Technology Division to Enhance Mission Delivery
The National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) announced a new division focused on providing technology for enhancing its regulatory mission and supporting tribes and tribal regulators. The Technology Division took the lead on providing the agency with information technology and telecommunications products, services and solutions for the NIGC. The Technology Division built on the steps the NIGC took to better harness technology internally and externally. For more information, visit www.nigc.gov.

McDonald Carano Wilson Welcomes New Gaming Law Partner to Firm
McDonald Carano Wilson LLP announced Attorney P. Gregory Giordano joined the firm’s Las Vegas office as a partner. Giordano’s practice focuses on the areas of gaming law, specifically publicly traded corporations and regulatory compliance, administrative law and procedures and antitrust law. Giordano served with the Nevada State Gaming Control Board as the first chief of its corporate securities division, where he oversaw licensing investigations and supervised the analysis and monitoring of publicly traded corporations associated with Nevada gaming licenses. Giordano advises domestic and foreign clients on structuring investments in Nevada resort casinos, including advising them on applicable gaming regulatory and licensing requirements. For more information, visit www.mcdonaldcarano.com.

AGI Gaming Colombia Presents Latest NOVOMATIC Portfolio at FADJA; NOVOMATIC to Reclaim Multiplayer Sales and Distribution
The Dominator Curve was presented in Colombia with a number of games highlighting NOVOMATIC’s first proprietary mystery progressive stand-alone jackpot. Another Latin American premiere was the display of the FV833 Imperator™ S3. A recurring sight at FADJA was the NOVOSTAR® V.I.P. II slant top with its Crown V.I.P. chair—but this time with an increased 50-inch screen. The NOVOMATIC product presentation included a number of best sellers such as the Panther Roulette™ II, the Magic Joker Jackpot™, the Dominator and NOVOSTAR SL cabinets, as well as the latest game editions.

Austrian Gaming Industries GmbH (AGI) also gave notification that, as of Aug. 1, 2015, it will reclaim the rights to the sales and distribution of its multiplayer (electronic table gaming) product range currently held by TCSJOHNHUXLEY. AGI will fully control all international sales and distribution of its multiplayer product range directly, through its subsidiary companies in some jurisdictions and via certain distribution partners in specific markets. For more information, visit www.novomatic.com.

BMM Expanding The BMM Academy in 2015
BMM Testlabs announced the expansion of its training and education program, The BMM Academy, in 2015. The BMM Academy comprises a series of education and training programs tailored to fit any small group or large organization. Subjects range from ‘Independent Test Labs and their Responsibilities’ to ‘EGM Essentials’ and ‘Class II Technical Standards.’ Also offered is an ‘in-depth’ series covering ‘Math Analysis,’ ‘Electronic Signatures,’ ‘Source Code’ and more detailed areas of the testing and certification process. The BMM Academy provides training and education at BMM’s state-of-the-art facility in Las Vegas, at the client’s facility and at shows and events throughout the world. Training can be customized for each group or organization and promises a positive and interactive learning experience for all. For more information, visit www.bmm.com.

GCA Extends and Expands Business Relationship With Las Vegas Sands
Global Cash Access, Inc. announced it signed a multi-year agreement with Las Vegas Sands. The contract extended cash access services and the business relationship to include the deployment of integrated kiosks across the full gaming floors at the Venetian and Palazzo resorts in Las Vegas, as well as Sands Bethlehem in Pennsylvania. GCA’s integrated kiosk platform is a full-service solution for ticket redemption, bill breaking and cash access services. For more information, visit www.gcainc.com.

Avigilon Promotes Joel Schuster to Chief Legal Officer
Avigilon Corporation announced the promotion of Joel Schuster to chief legal officer, senior vice president and corporate secretary. Schuster leads Avigilon’s global corporate governance and international tax compliance, in addition to overseeing the company’s growing legal team in pursuit of mergers and acquisitions and intellectual property generation. Schuster joined Avigilon in October 2013 and provided legal guidance and leadership in a series of key transactions. Prior to joining Avigilon, Schuster served as the general counsel and corporate secretary for three Vancouver-based public corporations. Schuster has practiced at top law firms in the United States and Canada, and is admitted to the bars of British Columbia and Massachusetts. He holds degrees in law and political science from the University of Toronto. For more information, visit www.avigilon.com.

Cadillac Jack—Gold Dragon Red Dragon™
Gold Dragon Red Dragon is a Fierce Factor™, PowerXStream® game featuring two monstrous fire-breathing dragons. The game is a 100-credit, higher volatility take on the popular White Buffalo theme that features a Scatter-initiated Bonus with bonus symbols that appear on reels two through four during both the base game and free spins. PowerXStream introduces a unique 3-4-4-4-3 reel configuration with 576 ways to win. Themes with the PowerXStream pay mechanic evaluate the award based on the number of symbols that occur on adjacent reels, starting with the leftmost reel and moving right, or beginning with the rightmost reel and moving left. Games with Fierce Factor will experience higher bet and larger win potentials. With each spin a symbol is randomly chosen to be stacked on each reel. At least one bonus symbol on reels two, three and four awards bonus pay and initiates free spins. The minimum free spin award is eight free spins but up to 128 can be won on a single spin. Free spins can be retriggered. The progressive cannot be won during free spins. For more information, visit www.cadillacjack.com.

IGT—Diamond Queen™
Players unlock their majestic power with IGT’s Diamond Queen™, a Class II Bingo title that features an exciting 5-reel, 20-payline gaming experience. Designed for players seeking high volatility and low denomination, the game drives coin-in with scatter pays and a free games bonus (Mystical Diamond Free Spins Bonus), which is triggered in reels two, three and four. Players are awarded three free spins when stacked wilds are displayed featuring regal symbols and letters. The bingo game utilizes the industry’s exclusive custom button configuration feature, which allows operators to choose what credit amount each button displays. For more information, visit www.igt.com.

Rocket Gaming Systems—Whale Tales™
Look out for Whale Tales, a new game from Rocket Gaming Systems®. This 5-reel, 20-line plus 5-line option video title is the newest addition to the Gold Series® line. It’s available for penny play and has a max bet of 300 credits. Three Wheel Bonus symbols scattered on reels one, three and five triggers the Whales Tales Wheel Bonus. The 2nd Chance feature is available for the chance to secure the third symbol. Players are awarded bonus wheel spins to win free games with multipliers, local progressive jackpots, credits, bonus spins and a mystery bonus multiplier spin. Trigger the “Thar She Blows!” Race Bonus by obtaining three, four or five Anchor symbols left to right on an active payline. Players select a whale that will compete against the other whales to win credits. Each whale will be awarded a multiplier based on finishing position. Whale Tales features two local progressives and one wide area progressive. Five scattered Gold Series symbols at max bet awards the top progressive prize of more than $1,000,000. For more information, visit www.rocketgaming.com.

Video Gaming Technologies—Ruby’s Hot Red Cabaret™
VGT’s legendary Hot Red Ruby® is back with one of two new 3-reel, 1-line, 3-credit max bet progressive titles guaranteed to engage players and keep them coming back for the chance to win big jackpots. Ruby’s Hot Red Cabaret™ uses the same math model and base game features of Ruby’s original game with the added excitement of multi-level progressive jackpot payouts. Jackpot wins are cumulative to give players more value and incentive for betting up. And VGT’s hallmark Red Screen Free Spins® adds to player engagement and excitement. For more information, visit www.vgt.net.

WMS—Colossal Reels™ The Amazing Cashini™
The Amazing Cashini is a 5×4 reel set and a 5×12 Colossal Reels set combined to offer up to 100 lines of volatile slot excitement. Oversized symbols increase chances of multiple high symbols wins. In the base game, any stack of four Wild symbols appearing on the main reel set transfer and turn the corresponding Colossal Reels set Wild. During the Free Spin Bonus, any time at least three positions on a reel in the 5×4 reel set are filled with stacks of Wilds, the rest of the stack will nudge to fill all four reel positions and make the entire reel Wild. The reel will then transfer to the Colossal Reels set, making the corresponding reel Wild. Additional free spins can be awarded if two or more scattered Wild symbols land across the 5×4 reel set and/or Colossal Reels sets. The Amazing Cashini theme features the first mystery LAP in the Class II market. The progressive is triggered by specific wins and the machine can be configured for a progressive with multiple levels. Multiple players can win the progressive on the same turn, and split the progressive award. For more information, visit www.wms.com/now.

Ainsworth—5 Star Jackpots™
5 Star Jackpots™ incorporates five levels of Grand Progressives, eight levels of standalone progressives and the Wheel Winner® feature containing multipliers and jackpots. 5 Star Jackpots launches with three exciting titles each with a unique wild feature. Shanghai Nights™ contains locking wilds on reels three, four and five; Safari Sunset™ includes long stacked wilds on reels two, three and four; and Jungle Birds™ features expanding wilds from reels two to four. Housed in the A560®SL cabinet complete with a 32-inch high-definition display, premium surround sound, dynamic attract lighting and available with 19-inch LCD toppers, 5 Star Jackpots™ is sure to shine on the casino floor. For more information, visit www.ainsworth.com.au.

Bally—FRIENDS™
Reunite players with the beloved characters from “Friends”™, Warner Bros. Television’s worldwide hit comedy that was nominated for 62 Primetime Emmy Awards and named one of the 50 greatest shows of all time by TV Guide Magazine. The FRIENDS™ video slot from Bally is presented on the Pro Theatre, a new cabinet configuration built on the successful Pro Wave that is topped by a massive 1080-pixel 55-inch display. Players will experience the laughs and loves in a whole new way with a 5.1 surround-sound chair, U-Spin wheel and clips of the show’s many hilarious moments. Three full stacks of Wheel Bonus symbols on reels two, three and four trigger the Friends Wheel Bonus. Players spin the interactive wheel to win credits, one of three free games features or The BAMBOOZLED Bonus. During this pick feature, players match three tiles to win credits or up to two progressive jackpots. This 5-reel, 40-line, 300-credit max bet game also delivers Mystery Stacks in the base game and free games. For more information, visit www.ballytech.com.

IGT—Sherlock Holmes™ Duo Wheel Video Slots
IGT’s unravels another mystery to exciting slot entertainment with the new progressive title, Sherlock Holmes™ Duo Wheel Video Slots. This is a 5-reel, 30-payline low denomination game housed on the Duo Wheel Cabinet with Triple Wheel Hardware. Players will be on the edge of their seats as the game offers popular scenes direct from the Hollywood film and features the intellectual, clue-finding characters Sherlock and Watson. Players can activate one of three wheels and spin into a jackpot reward, bonus or credit value. Big win thrills escalate as players enter the Clue of the Keys Free Spins, where a key symbol enables them to unlock a central tower for a chance at larger payouts. Other bonuses include the Blackwood Free Spins. For more information, visit www.igt.com.

Shuffle Master—Shuffle Flex
The industry’s first solution that offers pay-per-shuffle billing is now available for more of your table games. The award-winning Shuffle Flex from Shuffle Master gives operators the billing flexibility to simply pay per shuffle. No longer do limited hours or not enough consistent high-volume play stop casinos from benefitting from the efficiency of an automatic shuffler. This groundbreaking payment method means every casino—no matter the type or size—can afford the luxury of an automatic shuffler with flexible pricing. Shuffle Flex first brought the speed and profits of the DeckMate 2 to poker tables with a flexible payment plan. Now it’s also available on the MD3 for multi-deck tables like blackjack. Shuffle Flex gives operators the ability to place shufflers at every table to help maximize potential table revenue during peak times. Operators pay only when it is used, and there are no maintenance fees. For more information, visit www.ballytech.com.

It’s hard to believe the National Indian Gaming Association’s Indian Gaming Trade Show and Convention is celebrating its 30th anniversary.

What’s not hard to believe is just how successful and valuable an event this show has become. After all, NIGA’s economic impact report on the industry shows that Indian gaming continues to grow stronger than ever, so it’s no wonder that the tribal gaming industry’s largest and most significant show would mirror that success by being bigger and better than ever this year.

Gross gaming revenue in 2013 rose to $28.6 billion, a 2.5 percent increase from the $27.9 billion reported in 2012, according to NIGA’s 2013 Economic Impact Report. In addition, that report showed Indian gaming delivered an additional $3.5 billion in ancillary revenues for a total of 32.1 billion in revenue for 2013.

Indian gaming is thriving, creating jobs and opportunities for tribal members and non-tribal members alike. According to NIGA, employment at tribal casinos accounted for more than 307,000 direct jobs nationwide and 358,000 in indirect jobs, totaling more than 665,000 jobs.

And Indian country is innovating—many of the casinos in Indian country are leading the way, becoming first movers on technological advancement in gaming as well as adopting enhanced customer service practices, new green energy initiatives and more. You can bet leaders from these tribal-owned facilities will be roaming the show floor to seek out the best new products and services, and taking part in conference and networking events. Do yourself a favor and don’t miss an opportunity to take in a session featuring these operators or to just chat with them about what they do and why. It’ll be time well spent.

As another testament to the show’s importance, Indian Gaming 2015 also will be the venue where CEM announces the winners of its annual Slot Floor Technology Awards. Stay tuned for more on that front.

Inside the pages of this month’s issue, you’ll find much more information about NIGA’s expanded and enhanced show, a feature on NIGA Chairman Ernie Stevens Jr. and more, including a feature on architectural design trends for tribal casinos.

New in CEM
Be sure to check out CEM’s newest features inside this month’s issue. They are just part of our ongoing initiative to make Casino Enterprise Management better than ever, by delivering even more useful information to help you do your jobs better.

Debuting this month is CEM’s Inner Circle, a feature in which gaming industry executives and observers sound off on issues affecting our industry. In the initial installment, we tackle the topic of the tightening slot hold percentages, and we’re sure you’ll want to know what your peers are saying on that subject. Also making its first appearance this month is a new feature called On the Job, in which the magazine interviews a gaming industry employee about his or her work.

Let us know what you think or share your suggestions for what else you would like to see in the magazine, on our website or as part of our CEM Audio Edge programming.

And if you’re attending Indian Gaming 2015, make it a point to stop by our booth (No. 1803) and say “Hi.” We look forward to seeing you there.

The AGEM Index remained flat in the first month of 2015 when compared with December 2014, moving from a composite index of 181.84 to 181.89. The latest period represents the first month the AGEM Index has not reported a month-to-month decline since August 2014. Compared to a year ago, the index fell 1.96 points (-1.1 percent). The AGEM Index has now reported annual declines for four consecutive months.

In January 2015, half of the 14 global gaming equipment suppliers reported month-to-month gains in stock price, with two up by more than 20 percent. However, these gains were offset by the remaining seven suppliers reporting monthly declines in stock price. In addition, four reported declines of more than 5 percent.

The broader stock markets continued to report month-to-month declines in January 2015. NASDAQ ended the month at 4,637.99, which represents a decline of 2.1 percent when compared with the prior month. The S&P 500 followed, falling 3.1 percent from 2,058.90 to 1,994.99. The Dow Jones Industrial Average reported the greatest decline of the three major indices, falling 3.7 percent to 17,164.95.

The world’s largest gaming market, Macau, has been facing year-over-year declines in gross gaming revenue since June 2014, and in December the region witnessed a record 30.4 percent year-over-year drop. As a result, Macau gaming revenues in 2014 totaled $44.1 billion, which represents a decline of 2.6 percent from the record $45.2 billion reported in 2013. Before 2014, gaming revenues in Macau had not reported a year-over-year decline since companies from the United States began operating in the Chinese Special Administrative Region in 2003.

The gaming market in Macau is off to a sluggish start in 2015 as well. In January, gross gaming revenues reported a decline for the eighth consecutive month when they fell 17.4 percent compared to January 2014, and gaming analysts expect the trend to continue in February. The latest trends are primarily attributable to a decline in VIP gamblers, many of whom were allegedly affected by the Chinese government’s recent attempts to eliminate corruption.

Macau’s gaming market could face a positive turn in the second half of 2015 as two properties are expected to open in Cotai in the coming months. In an effort to diversify their revenue base and attract more visitors, these properties will increase their focus on non-gaming amenities and family-oriented activities.

Melco Crown will be opening its $3.2 billion Studio City in the summer of 2015. In addition to more than 1,500 gaming machines, the Hollywood-themed property will offer a 1,600-room, two-tower hotel, restaurants, a nightclub, a 5,000-seat entertainment center and a 300,000-square-foot mall. In addition, the resort will include a virtual-reality Batman-themed ride and a 30,000-square-foot facility for family entertainment that will feature characters from Warner Bros. and DC Comics. Studio City will also be home to the Golden Eye, which at 426 feet will be Asia’s highest observation wheel.

Galaxy Entertainment is spending more than $7.4 billion to expand Galaxy Macau, which will include a re-creation of New York’s Broadway theater district. The expansion is expected to open in May 2015 and will double the size of the property to include six hotels with 4,000 rooms. The resort will also add more than 1,000 gaming machines, an entertainment district, new restaurants, bars and lounges, 200 retail stores and a 3,000-seat Broadway Theater.

Additional casino openings in 2016 should also provide opportunities in Macau. Las Vegas Sands plans to open its $2.7 billion Parisian with 3,000 rooms, 2,500 slot machines and replicas of Paris landmarks. Also, Wynn Resorts will complete its $4.1 billion Wynn Palace with 1,700 hotel rooms and 1,000 slots, and MGM China will open its $2.9 billion MGM Cotai with 1,600 rooms and 2,500 slots.

Upcoming casino openings and expanded offerings are expected to contribute to an evolving gaming market in Macau, while providing opportunities for gaming equipment suppliers.

At least that was the case at the ICE Totally Gaming show in London last month. The show itself was a monster, the largest gaming trade show ever in terms of exhibitor square meters. The products were dazzling, with slot companies going all out with their latest creations. The vibe was different from other shows because of the influence of the online/mobile/sports betting exhibitors and the 60 countries represented. The venue was ExCeL, which in the third year as host site has been embraced by the Earls Court holdouts despite its long distance from central London.

Yet, despite all of the buzz and business activity, there was no escaping that trade show madness was sweeping both sides of the gigantic ExCeL structure. Certainly buyers were oblivious to all of the chatter. And those among the suppliers focused solely on selling products could probably care less.

But for those whose annual calendar is shaped directly by trade show dates and locations, all of the new developments were fascinating indeed.

The reason for such fascination is simple: The amount of money and time and energy and angst that suppliers put into exhibiting at these shows is staggering. With mergers and acquisitions dominating the supplier space and creating promises of cost savings and synergies, trade shows and their accompanying costs are clearly a focus.

The total hard costs of these shows run in the tens of millions of dollars annually. For the bigger slot companies, shows such as ICE and G2E in particular cost several million in hard dollars for less than 24 hours of exhibit time.

And then there are the so-called soft costs that are anything but cushy and comforting. It was rumored that Novomatic sent 440 people to ICE this year to set up and staff its massive presence. The Scientific Games (Bally, WMS, SHFL) staffing number was pegged at more than 160. Those responsible for show budgets know that these people come with a high price tag for air travel and hotels and such, but perhaps the higher cost comes from all of the development work and planning needed to wow customers at trade shows. And instead of being back at headquarters working on things that create revenue, these people are on the show floor at ExCeL.

Some in our business say they’d be happy with just four shows—one each in the United States, Asia, Europe and South America. Unfortunately, the current number is north of 15, adding fuel to the overall trade show discussion. During my 15 years as part of the Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers (AGEM), half spent as Bally Technologies’ Board of Directors representative and half now as executive director, the subject of trade shows has always been a dominant topic. In the coming weeks, that topic will only grow in importance as suppliers grapple with the ever-evolving show landscape.

The most surprising trade show news to circulate around the floor at ICE was the unlikely pairing of Clarion Events and Urban Expo on a possible 2016 show in Miami that would target the South American market. AGEM hosted a large meeting of supplier marketing representatives at last year’s ICE show and asked Clarion to come up with ideas on how to consolidate the overkill of current shows in South America into one signature event. SAGSE in Buenos Aires has been on the decline for various reasons, and additional shows in Peru, Columbia, Panama, Mexico and Puerto Rico have added to the glut.

The proposed Clarion solution a year later is Miami, and the partnership with Urban brings together former rivals Julian Graves of Clarion and Courtney Muller of Urban. Several years ago, when Muller headed Reed Exhibitions’ gaming shows in Las Vegas and Macau, Reed floated the idea of G2E Europe to battle Clarion’s position with ICE, to no avail. Now, Muller is trying to grow Urban’s upstart gaming position that now includes only the management of the NIGA show focusing on Indian country.

SAGSE Buenos Aires, meanwhile, has no plans to shut down its flagging November show and is trying to grow the SAGSE Panama show in May of this year by asking exhibitors and operators in attendance to board a cruise ship at the show’s conclusion and sail the Caribbean for seven days in an attempt to visit additional operators in casino markets such as Aruba, Curacao and Columbia.

While perhaps scoring points for creativity, the cruise idea is about as likely to succeed as another proposed ELA show in Mexico City next year. If ever a show hasn’t gotten the message yet, it’s ELA. After a couple of years marked by exhibitor and operator boycotts and then another couple of years of no ELA at all, organizers want to try again. Please don’t.

And then there’s Macau, where the Macao Gaming Show in November has been taking PR spin to ridiculous levels about its first two years of so-called success, and G2E Asia this May is poised for its ninth edition under the leadership of a relatively new team at both Reed Exhibitions and the American Gaming Association (AGA), co-owners of the show (AGEM is a contractual partner with Reed and the AGA on both G2E shows).

It all adds up to a lot of chatter and distraction at a time when suppliers are navigating a challenging business environment. Certainly there is a better use for everyone’s time.

The Glenn Group Launches Sister Agency
The Glenn Group launched a sister agency called Wide Awake to help gaming properties innovate, differentiate and master the modern marketing landscape. Wide Awake brought all the history, experience, talent and creativity of The Glenn Group, with an added depth of expertise and knowledge in gaming, the company said in a news release. The name Wide Awake pays homage to Nevada, where the company cut its teeth on gaming and where gaming was born. During the gold and silver rushes, well before gaming was legal, Nevada frontier towns that were open to gambling were referred to as “Wide Awake.” Wide Awake was not only a way of paying tribute to Nevada’s pioneering spirit and its deep gaming roots, but also focuses on the challenges of marketing casino properties within a modern marketing landscape and highly competitive gaming environment. Wide Awake shares offices with The Glenn Group in Las Vegas and Reno under the leadership of B.C. LeDoux, president and partner. For more information, visit www.wideawakenv.com.

Scientific Games Launches Online Games Library in New Jersey
Scientific Games Corporation announced the launch of its premium game server library for online casino sites powered by bwin.party. The bwin.party platform powers some of the best-known gaming brands in New Jersey, including BorgataCasino.com (Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa) and nj.partypoker.com (partypoker), whose players now have access to many of the slot titles from the Scientific Games Williams studio that are already popular on casino floors throughout Atlantic City, including Gold Fish®, Zeus III™ and Spartacus Gladiator of Rome™. For more information, visit www.scientificgames.com.

135 Billion GameAccount Network Virtual Credits Wagered in a Month
GameAccount Network announced that 135 billion virtual credits were wagered on its Simulated Gaming product in December. The announcement came a week prior to GameAccount’s appearance at ICE, where it anticipated significant interest in the social gaming product that allows players to purchase virtual credits enabling them to play their favorite slot and table games on a website, which may be connected to a land-based casino. For more information, visit www.gameaccountnetwork.com.

IAGA Announced International Gaming Summit
The International Association of Gaming Advisors announced its 34th annual International Gaming Summit will be held June 2-5 at the Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel in Vancouver, Canada. The Summit provides gaming operators, suppliers, attorneys, investors, bankers, regulators and other advisors with an unparalleled opportunity to meet and discuss the top issues and challenges facing gaming today. The International Gaming Summit will include a wide range of panels, break-out sessions and keynote speeches addressing the top issues facing global gaming today. This event is an excellent opportunity to expand the critical knowledge, tools and best practices needed to be successful in the dynamic global gaming industry. Gaming Laboratories International will hold a University Regulator Seminar on June 2 that will include numerous sessions covering a wide range of gaming regulation issues. For more information, visit www.theiaga.org.

Aristocrat Names Jay Sevigny as President of VGT
Aristocrat Leisure, Ltd. confirmed the appointment of Jayme Sevigny as president of VGT, subject to the necessary normal regulatory approvals. Sevigny who is based at VGT’s headquarters in Franklin, Tenn., reports to Aristocrat CEO Jamie Odell. Sevigny has more than three decades’ experience in the gaming industry. He began his career in casino operations for Boyd Gaming Corporation in 1980 before moving through a range of senior leadership roles in finance, marketing and general management at Harrah’s Entertainment and later with Gaylord Entertainment Company. Sevigny also served as VGT’s chief operating officer from 2006-2011. Sevigny took over from VGT Interim President Rich Schneider, who returned to his permanent role as chief product officer for Aristocrat, responsible for game development and technology across Aristocrat’s global business, including VGT. For more information, visit www.vgt.net.

Avigilon Appoints Collis Heath to Senior Vice President of Global Operations
Avigilon Corporation has appointed Collis Heath to the role of senior vice president of global operations. Heath leads and manages all aspects of Avigilon’s operations functions, including quality control, supply chain, logistics, operational excellence and enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementation. Heath reports to Bryan Schmode, Avigilon chief operating officer. Heath brought more than 20 years of experience leading global operations teams in the technology industry. Throughout his career Heath has worked in and traveled extensively throughout North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia. His most recent role was with Foxconn Technology Group, one of the world’s largest electronic contract manufacturers, where he led the company’s Americas operations. Heath has also held positions at Suntron Corporation, Sony and General Electric. For more information, visit www.avigilon.com.

JCM Installs Curved Video Wall at Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino
The largest curved video wall in North America was installed at Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino and is visible throughout the entire Casino of the Moon. Measuring 38×21 feet the curved video wall is comprised of 1517 Nixels (NanoLumens’ LED board), housing a total of 776,704 pixels. JCM Global’s digital media team directed the installation of the JCM NanoLumens video wall. JCM expedited the installation with a 24/7 installation schedule over a 3-day period. Additionally, the Tachi Palace installation deploys JCM’s media management system for a simple, operator-controlled method of ‘publishing’ to the wall.

In other JCM news, Merkur Spielbanken chose JCM printers for its new casino in Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany. Additionally, JCM also installed its iVIZION® bill validators. The casino—the first from Gauselmann—has 121 slots and eight tables. For more information, visit www.jcmglobal.com.

Navegante Names Gary Armentrout as Senior Vice President
Navegante has named Gary D. Armentrout as its senior vice president. He leads development efforts within Navegante and specifically the efforts of Trillium Entertainment, which was formed by Navegante and its Canadian partners to bid on, acquire, expand and operate selected casino properties that the OLG in Canada is in process of privatizing. Armentrout brought a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Navegante team. He began his career with Harrah’s while working his way through law school. After practicing law for four years for the state of Nevada, he returned to Harrah’s as its corporate attorney, and then VP/AGM. He’s held numerous other positions including vice president and chief operating officer of President Casinos, senior vice president of development for Harvey’s Resorts, director of development for Rumsey Band of Winton Indians and its Cache Creek Casino operation and most recently president of Foxwoods Development Company. For more information, visit www.navegantegroup.com.

GTECH to Provide MGM Resorts International with Sports Betting and Mobile Solutions
GTECH Interactive U.K. and MGM Resorts International have signed a multiyear agreement to provide sports betting technology at 12 MGM Resorts properties and GTECH OnPremise™ mobile sports betting and casino gaming at 10 MGM Resorts properties in Nevada. The agreement represented GTECH’s first planned sports betting and GTECH OnPremise mobile gaming deployment in the U.S. GTECH modernized MGM’s sports betting offerings to include live in-play betting and enabled customers to place sports betting wagers via mobile anytime, anywhere in the state of Nevada. In addition, GTECH provides real-money on premise mobile casino and slots, playable anywhere within an MGM property through the players’ smartphones or tablets. The gaming and sports betting are combined into a single mobile app and linked to the players’ MGM Resorts M life loyalty club membership. GTECH also extended the mobile services to other on-premise screens that MGM installed throughout MGM Resorts properties.

GTECH also recently announced that its Doggie Cash™ progressive link game was installed at Casino Mono Blanco in Lima, Peru. Each of the three floors at the casino features four machines linked to the four-level Doggie Cash progressive jackpot. The Doggie Cash link game is available on GTECH’s e-motion™ cabinet and features two bonus round games in addition to four supporting game titles. The two bonus rounds, Mystery Dog and Doggie Cash, award one of the four jackpot levels. The Doggie Cash link game was designed for regular casino players and offers a chance to the hit the highest jackpot when getting into the Doggie Cash bonus. The progressive prize starts with a base win of 4,000 Peruvian soles. Casino Mono Blanco operates a wide range of products from GTECH’s SPIELO brand, including Action Jackpots™, Volcano Island™, Mega Kong™ and diversity™. For more information, visit www.gtech.com.

New Appointments and Changes in Aruze Officers and Directors
Aruze Gaming America, Inc. has appointed Kelcey Allison to chief executive officer, the company recently announced. Allison oversees all of Aruze’s operations in North and Latin America. Allison joined Aruze in 2009 and most recently served as chief operating officer. With Allison’s appointment, Aruze announced that Richard Pennington stepped down as CEO of Aruze to focus on personal priorities. Pennington retains certain global responsibilities in the areas of finance, legal and administration. In addition he remains Aruze Gaming America’s president and one of its directors. Pennington joined Aruze in December 2010 as chief executive officer. Aruze also announced the promotion of Yugo Kinoshita to the positions of global chief operating officer, treasurer and director. In his new roles, Kinoshita is responsible for global sales and operations. Kinoshita joined Aruze in December 2013 as senior vice president of corporate strategy. He received his MBA from Babson University in Massachusetts. For more information, visit www.aruzegaming.com.

ICE Reaches 25,000 Visitors
Visitor figures for ICE 2015, which closed February 5, broke the 25,000 mark for the first time. The interim figures, which are subject to a final independent audit, showed that a total of 25,386 unique attendees made the journey to London’s ExCeL Centre, an 8 percent increase on 2014, and the sixth consecutive year of growth. For more information, visit www.icetotallygaming.com.

Konami Gaming Promotes Michael Coppert to Senior Director, Customer Service
Konami Gaming, Inc. has promoted Michael Coppert to senior director, customer service, the company recently announced. Coppert joined Konami in 2012 as director of customer service and technical support. In his new role, he is responsible for overseeing Konami’s games and systems customer service department including system implementations, game installations, customer training, field service operations, project management and ongoing customer technical support and professional services. Coppert’s career is characterized by more than 35 years’ delivering enterprise software solutions to customers domestically and globally across sectors including gaming, telecommunications and global information technology. As Konami’s senior director of customer service, he reports directly to chief operating officer and executive vice president Steve Sutherland. Sutherland and Coppert collaborate in furthering Konami’s reputation as a top industry service provider by continuing to strengthen customer success. Coppert holds multiple technical patents surrounding casino gaming software development solutions. For more information, visit www.konamigaming.com.

Zitro Highlights New Products at ICE; World of Bingo Launches Video Bingo Tournaments
The Zitro Revolution was presented in London as part of ICE Totally Gaming 2015. A further innovation at ICE came from the Zitro Interactive Division, which showed off its new products for the online market via www.worldofbingo.com, which is currently played in more than 160 countries. Many visitors were attracted by Zitro’s eGaming through its different platforms and business models. Zitro’s Electronic Bingo also caught the eye of those attending the show, which offers players a gaming experience in which they participate in a major prize network.

World of Bingo, Zitro Interactive’s social game app, launched its social video bingo tournaments. In these video bingo tournaments, World of Bingo players compete against each other to take away as much of the community jackpot as possible. The tournaments last a half-hour, with the possibility of re-entering once a player has no points left, and the players with the most winnings throughout the tournament win a prize. Both the distribution of prizes and the player’s position in the overall ranking are constantly shown in real-time. For more information, visit www.zitrogames.com.

Properties Choose Rainmaker Solutions to Improve Revenue and Profit; Hotel Group Sales Challenge Solved with New GroupREV®
The Rainmaker Group announced that more than 20 new system implementations for its revenue management and profit optimization software solutions have been booked in 2015. All of the relationships are new customers and include The New Tropicana Las Vegas, Golden Nugget Lake Charles, as well as two properties within GF Management and three within the Wind Creek portfolio. All of the new implementations will include GuestREV® and many also include GroupREV®.
The Rainmaker Group also announced the introduction of its most powerful version yet of its GroupREV group pricing software solution to grow and maximize an organization’s total revenue from meetings and events sales. GroupREV was introduced in 2012 to complement Rainmaker’s GuestREV solution, creating the first complete pricing and revenue management solution in the hospitality industry for traditional hotels, resorts and casino hotels. The latest version of GroupREV has upgraded functionality to import and leverage relevant meeting space and sales and catering data. For more information, visit www.letitrain.com.

GLI Promotes Justine Kelleher to Manager of Supplier Development
Gaming Laboratories International promoted Justine Kelleher to manager of supplier development. Kelleher has been with GLI since 2012, serving as a supplier development representative prior to ascending to her new role. She has worked in-casino at both tribal and non-tribal operations. Kelleher is based in GLI’s Las Vegas office. Kelleher works primarily with land-based suppliers in Nevada, Southern California and Texas, and her extended territory spans North America. Kelleher holds a bachelor’s degree in hospitality and tourism management with an emphasis on tribal gaming from San Diego State University. For more information, visit www.gaminglabs.com.

Win Systems Selects New Senior Business Development Director
Win Systems welcomed Mariano Sosa as senior business development director for Latin America. Sosa joined the business development team to drive the expansion of its business in the Latin American market. Sosa has a degree in information systems together with experience in the industry, having worked in companies such as EDS (at present the consulting area of HP) as technology manager, in IGT and more recently in Bally. He has been working in the region for more than 10 years with the most important companies and operators in the gaming and entertainment industry. For more information, visit www.winsystemsintl.com.

Ainsworth—5 Power 7’s™ and 5 Mega 7’s™
Players will love the simplicity of Ainsworth’s entertaining new games, 5 Power 7’s™ and 5 Mega 7’s™, featuring five tiers of max bet standalone progressives and a Respin Feature that can be awarded with any bet. In these classic 8-line format games, two free respins are triggered by any five or more scattered 7s. During the Respin Feature, wherever 7s appear, the symbol is held in that position until the end of the feature. After the completion of the Respin Feature, a single curved reel will spin based on the corresponding number of 7s held during the feature. The bonus curved reel spin will award respins, bonus prizes or guaranteed progressives at max bet. 5 Power 7’s and 5 Mega 7’s are housed in the striking A560®SL cabinet complete with a 32-inch high-definition display, premium surround sound, dynamic attract lighting and available with 19-inch LCD toppers. For more information, visit www.ainsworth.com.au.

Aristocrat—Romance of Fire and Rain Jackpots™
Aristocrat’s E*Series™ is going to the next level with a new SAP jackpot component, adding a new layer of anticipation and excitement to these entertainment-style games. The new E*Series Jackpots line comes to the floor in The Romance of Fire and Rain™, housed in the technologically advanced Helix™ cabinet. The Romance of Fire and Rain has a new reel layout (2x5x8) new game mechanics and a 5-level SAP. The game combines low-to-medium volatility with high anticipation in the form of frequent transferring wilds that give players a chance for big wins. Romance of Fire and Rain enhance player enjoyment with Max Stacks™, mega symbols and matching wilds, along with entrancing music and sound effects. The game’s topper art showcases Rain’s enchanting eyes that draw players to the game. Features include 15 free games and jackpots, including grand with a $1,000 start up; major, $250 start up; maxi, $100 start up; minor, $30 start up; and mini, $10 start up. For more information, visit www.neweseries.com.

Aruze Gaming—AZTEC SOL™
One of the most historic ethnic groups of Central America has teamed up with ARUZE® to portray its tribal secrets of the sun in the latest Innovator™ titled AZTEC SOL™. Equipped with five reels and 30 lines of Aztec Sun symbols and 2X Wild symbols, this new Stepper theme offers nonstop fun and anticipation. With an opportunity of being awarded up to seven Sol Prize Selections, this recommended penny denomination offers players several different possibilities of winning combinations. The Aztec Sol Bonus is triggered when five or more bonus symbols appear. It consists of the Sol Prize Selection and seven free games. The number of Sol Prize Selections vary depending on the number of bonus symbols appearing when the Aztec Sol Bonus is triggered. The total credits determined in the Sol Prize Selection are awarded for each bonus symbol that appears during the seven free games. The Aztec Sol Bonus can be retriggered when five or more bonus symbols appear during any of the seven free games. For more information, visit www.aruzegaming.com.

Bally—Cash Spin featuring Quick Hit™
If there are two things that players can never get enough of, it’s U-Spin™ and Quick Hit™. Bally combines these two proven favorites in Cash Spin featuring Quick Hit™, which offers the excitement of a wheel bonus along with the chance to win five Quick Hit-style jackpots. Cash Spin featuring Quick Hit is presented on the Pro Series™ V22/32 cabinet. This 5-reel, 25-line game supports three max-bet setup configurations of 150, 250 or 500 credits. It is available in multiple denominations from one cent to $250. When players spin for three scattered U-Spin symbols, they are awarded one spin of the Cash Spin Wheel. They spin the wheel to win free games, credits or the huge U-Spin jackpot, which can be awarded at non-max bet. During the free games, players pick from among 20 tiles until they match three tiles that award seven to 30 free games with a 2X multiplier. The free games can re-trigger the Cash Spin Bonus, awarding players another spin of the wheel and another chance to win big. Cash Spin featuring Quick Hit also features a pick-em Money Bag Bonus that awards up to 50X total credits bet. For more information, visit www.ballytech.com.

Cadillac Jack—Forest Spirit™
Forest Spirit™ is the newest game to join Cadillac Jack’s PowerXStream® series. The game is a Celtic theme that features a golden stag character. This PowerXStream math model has a 4-4-4-4-4 reel configuration with 1,024 ways to win. The PowerXStream pay mechanic evaluates the award based on the number of symbols that occur on adjacent reels, with a left to right pay evaluation. Bonus symbols may appear on reels one through five during both the base game and free spins. Three or more bonus symbols in any position on the reel triggers the Free Spin Bonus. The minimum free spin award is eight free spins but up to 20 can be won on a single spin. Wild symbols in the bonus game may randomly award 2X or 3X multipliers. For more information, visit www.cadillacjack.com.

GTECH—Wild Blossom™
Visit enchanting meadows with bountiful wild flowers while enjoying player-selectable volatility, high win potential in the base game and an exciting Wild Blossom feature. The selected Wild Blossom substitutes for all symbols except the Free Games Bonus trigger symbol Meadow. Before each main game the player can select one of five blossoms which will become Wild. The blossom chosen influences win frequency as well as win amounts. If three, four or five Meadow symbols appear anywhere on screen, the Free Games Bonus awarding 20, 40 or 100 Free Games respectively is triggered. At the start of each Free Games Bonus the player can select his favorite Wild blossom. One Wild in a free game winning combination and every additional Wild will multiply the win 2X. Wild Blossom™ is a Spielo product available on the prodiGi Vu® cabinet. For more information, visit www.gtech.com.

IGT—Game of the Gods™
Players escape to an ancient kingdom reigned by worship-worthy Gods in IGT’s Game of the Gods™ video slot, housed on IGT’s new CrystalDual® Cabinet that attracts players with its dynamic design and improved serviceability. Game of the Gods® video slot also comes equipped with the company’s new Ascent platform™, which combines LCD and MLD technology to deliver faster 3D visuals of the game’s vivid mythical creatures. Developed for multi-denominational players, this 5-reel, multi-way plus paylines game drives big-win potential with its sizzling Stacked Wilds® feature. Stacked Wilds fill an entire reel and lock into place when immortal bonus symbols trigger a free games bonus and can award players with seven initial free games and the chance to win up to 100 free games. Game of the Gods video slots complements familiar titles such as White Orchid®, Black Orchid® and Treasures of Troy®, giving operators the opportunity to bank these games together for optimal performance. For more information, visit www.igt.com.

Incredible Technologies—Valkyrie Legends™
Valkyrie Legends™ features a 4X6 reel configuration and an exciting 4,096 ways to win with unbelievable features. The ancient folklore of the Norse mythology comes alive in this slot adventure that showcases giant stacks of character symbols and an action-packed free spin round. Up to 20 initial free spins can be awarded when three or more scatter symbols land, with the chance to retrigger up to 100 spins. Transforming symbols appear on the free spins reels as large clusters of stones fall apart to reveal stacks of character symbols underneath for epic wins. At the culmination of the free spins round the player has the choice to either take a lump sum of credits or take a chance with four Super Spins on the Super Reels™. Super Reels are only unlocked to play after at least five Fallen Warrior symbols are collected during the duration of the free spin round. Super Reels feature a special reel set containing only a Raven symbol and the top symbol, Odin. Higher realms are unlocked as more Fallen Warriors are collected, which increases the chance for massive rewards. For more information, visit www.itsgames.com.

Konami Gaming—KP3®, Bull Mystery™
One of Konami Gaming, Inc.’s latest 5-reel video slots is an original math game called Bull Mystery™ with a Super Free Game Balance of Fortune® feature. This KP3® game includes Konami’s popular Action Stacked Symbols® and a Spanish bull fighting theme that puts players right in the heart of the action. Any three or more gold medallion trigger symbols activate the free game feature, where a Balance of Fortune sequence allows the player to either play the free games or opt for a credit prize—however, players who trigger the feature with a max line bet have the option of free games or super free games. All pays are doubled during the free games, and super free games randomly assign one of three high-level multipliers for even greater potential wins. The game’s fifth reel is made up completely of Action Stacked Symbols, stacked triggers and stacked wilds, both in primary play and the bonus. Bull Mystery is found across Konami’s video cabinet lineup, including classic Podium®, SeleXion™ multi-game, extra-large Podium Goliath® and even tall-top Podium Monument® combined with a standalone progressive. For more information, visit www.gaming.konami.com.

WMS—21 Diamonds™
Introducing a dazzling addition to the Blade™ Stepper cabinet family—the 21 Diamonds™ theme. Offered as a high denomination theme, the 21 Diamonds theme is sure to make your casino floor sparkle. This brilliant new theme offers a modern spin on the classic 3-reel mechanical slot machine, where, at max bet, the 21 Diamonds Bonus continues as long as you collect at least 1 Diamond symbol on each spin with two second chances built in. The more Diamond symbols you collect, the higher the progressive amount. Or collect three double Wild symbols on line one at max bet and a separate Diamond progressive will automatically be awarded. Powering the Blade Stepper cabinet is the versatile CPU-NXT®3 processor, which is capable of controlling extremely quick reel spins, halo-effect emotive lighting and the ultra-bright LED progressive meter. A reimagined pull handle positioned slightly forward is just another innovation that makes WMS’s Blade Stepper cabinet a modern, retro-inspired mechanical slot machine. For more information, visit www.wms.com/now.

Welcome to the January 2015 edition of the Union Gaming Analytics (UGA) Index of Gaming Operators.

The UGA Index for the period ending Jan. 31, 2015, was up 10.19 percent sequentially to 100.36 from 91.08 at Dec. 31, 2014. As an illustrative example, if an investor bought $100,000 of the Index on Dec. 31, 2013, the investment would hypothetically be worth $100,365 on Jan. 31, 2015. Note, however, that the UGA Index is compiled for illustrative purposes only and is not being offered as an investment vehicle by Union Gaming Analytics or any affiliated entities.

In comparing the UGA Index to the broader markets, on a sequential basis, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 3.75 percent and the S&P 500 Index was down 2.57 percent.

The UGA Index comprises 28 domestic and global casino operators.

Top index performers included:
• Grand Korea Leisure Co., Ltd. was up 24.3 percent and contributed 0.87 points to the index during January 2015.
• Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc. was up 22.3 percent and contributed 0.80 points to the index.
• Summit Ascent was up 14.6 percent and contributed 0.52 points to the index.

Underperformers included:
• Caesars Entertainment was down 30.6 percent and contributed -1.09 points to the index.
• MGM Resorts International was down 8.9 percent and contributed -0.32 points to the index.
• SJM Holdings Limited was down 7.4 percent and contributed -0.27 points to the index.

Sands China Limited Fourth Quarter Earnings
Sands China Limited reported net revenue of $2.12 billion, down 16.3 percent year-over-year and adjusted property EBITDA of $713 million, down 14.9 percent year-over-year. After adjusting for good luck in the VIP segment during the fourth quarter of 2014, adjusted property EBITDA was $686 million. The company continues to allocate more resources toward mass market and away from VIP (14 percent fewer VIP tables year-over-year). VIP gross gaming revenue (GGR) was down 37 percent year-over-year versus the market at -29 percent year-over-year. Mass table GGR was down 2 percent (premium mass was down 18 percent year-over-year) versus the market that was down 16 percent. Slot and electronic table gross gaming revenue was down 10 percent versus the market that was down 17 percent.

Macau January Revenues
In January, Macau GGR declined 17.4 percent year-over-year and increased 2 percent sequentially, to MOP23.7 billion (USD3 billion). The calendar was slightly favorable with one additional Saturday this year, although note that the Chinese New Year 2014 began on Friday, Jan. 31 versus Thursday, Feb. 19 this year. The total GGR over the last year’s months has been stable and in a fairly tight band of MOP23.3 billion to MOP24.3 billion.

Las Vegas December Revenues
For December 2014, Las Vegas Strip gaming win was down 16.4 percent to $555.2 million. Strip baccarat win was down 39.3 percent to $148.1 million on 11 percent hold. Table game win (ex-baccarat) was up 2 percent to $168.5 million. Looking at the results with a bit more granularity, blackjack was up 11.7 percent to $67.9 million, craps was up 6.9 percent to $21.7 million and roulette was up 25.1 percent to $30.6 million. On the slot side, win was down 6.5 percent to $238.7 million. In December, statewide gaming win was down 8.1 percent to $950.7 million. Downtown Las Vegas gaming revenues were up 3 percent to $43 million.

Regional Trends
Regional markets saw improvement in revenues in some regional jurisdictions compared with the past couple of months. In December, Iowa reported an 8.1 percent decrease in gaming revenues, Illinois was up 6.2 percent, Indiana up 3.1 percent and Louisiana was up 2.3 percent on a same-store basis while Mississippi was down 0.2 percent and Missouri was down 11 percent.

Online Real-Money Gaming
Revenues from online gaming/poker continue to show a slower ramp-up than many had expected. It could be some time until these revenues reach significant levels and begin to contribute to state coffers at levels the states were expecting. The New Jersey Department of Gaming Enforcement released December 2014 Internet gaming revenues of $10.7 million, up 22.9 percent from November’s $8.7 million. For December, Nevada reported online poker revenues of $0.6 million and Delaware reported online poker rake and fee revenue of just $0.2 million. Payment processing issues, large banks not allowing transactions to be made with their credit/debit cards, as well as geolocation verification are continuing to weigh on results from all jurisdictions.

Other Events

Macau Data Points
During December, Macau visitation decreased by 1.8 percent year-over-year. Mainland China visitors rose by 1.1 percent year-over-year to 1,638,854, led by Guangdong province (654,325) and Fujian province (70,404). The number of mainland visitors traveling under the Individual Visit Scheme grew by 6 percent year-over-year. The average length of stay of visitors was 0.9 day, and overnight and same-day visitors had an average stay of 1.9 days and 0.2 day, respectively.

Las Vegas Data and News
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority released December visitation statistics. Visitation was up 5.5 percent to 3.12 million visitors. Convention attendance decreased 8.2 percent for the month on a 4.1 percent decrease in conventions and meetings held during the month. Citywide occupancy was up 310 basis points, Las Vegas Strip RevPAR was up 6.6 percent and Las Vegas Strip ADR increased 1.2 percent to $113.43.

For 2014, visitation was up 3.7 percent to 41.13 million visitors. Convention attendance increased 1.2 percent for the year on a 0.4 percent increase in conventions and meetings held during the year. Citywide occupancy was up 250 basis points, Las Vegas Strip RevPAR was up 7.8 percent and Las Vegas Strip average daily room rate increased 5.3 percent to $125.80.

New York Gaming Expansion News
The State Gaming Facility Location Board unanimously approved to open another round of bidding for a fourth license in the state’s Southern Tier. The board did not issue a time frame for the new bidding process and made it clear that plans previously submitted and rejected are very unlikely to make the cut. New proposals will need to be submitted by all bidders, a process that could open up competition to other operators that lost bids last month. Details of the new bidding process will be released shortly.

Maryland Properties Increase Table Games
The Horseshoe Baltimore and Maryland Live casinos received approval from the state lottery and gaming control commission to eliminate some slot machines and replace them with table games. The Horseshoe will reduce 300 slots machines bringing the total number to 2,200 and Maryland Live will be reduced to 3,912. The reductions will be completed by April 1. The table business is more profitable as the state allows operators to keep 80 percent of table game winnings versus 33 percent from slot machines. Maryland Live has 189 table games and is seeking to add at least 13 table games. Horseshoe Baltimore has 147 table games and is adding 30 tables.

Caesars Entertainment Operating Co. Opts for Bankruptcy
Caesars Entertainment Operating Co. (CEOC) voluntarily filed for bankruptcy with approximately $18 billion in debt on its balance sheet. This represents roughly 90 percent of Caesars Entertainment’s total debt load. Under the terms of the proposed financial restructuring, CEOC will convert its corporate structure by separating all of its U.S.-based gaming operating assets and real property assets into an operating entity and a new publicly traded REIT. CEOC does not foresee any interruption of operations across the companies’ 44 gaming and resort properties and expects to reduce debt by $10 billion to $8.6 billion.

What to Look For in Next Month’s Index
Next month’s discussion will include commentary on regional gaming, updates on gaming expansion opportunities in the U.S. and a wrap-up of fourth quarter 2014 earnings.